New Giants, Same Result / Reds beat a stale lineup riddled by injuries

Nancy Gay, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published
4:00 am PDT, Tuesday, August 6, 1996

Welcome, everyone, to today's episode of "Know Your Giants." A lot has happened since we last left you. See Bill Mueller, the new fellow in the infield? His name is pronounced "Miller." He is the new third baseman. Get used to it.

The same goes for that familiar standby, Rich Aurilia, who now becomes the Giants' full-time shortstop. And Jay Canizaro? Put him at second, now that Robby Thompson has all but filled out a change- of-address card for extended asylum in the training room.

With the expected disablement of shortstop Shawon Dunston (facial fractures) and the somewhat surprising announcement that he'll be joined on the 15- day disabled list by Matt Williams (right shoulder inflammation), the Giants scraped together enough players last night to drop a close one to the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3, before 12,277 at Candlestick Park.

Glenallen Hill went 2-for-3 with a single, a double, a strikeout and a walk in his first game back since May 26. The Giants had their chances to pull ahead and couldn't capitalize -- they had the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth inning and left runners at second and third with one out in the eighth.

Off the field, the rash of second-half injuries led to several player moves yesterday. Outfielder Stan Javier, who's been on the 15-day DL since July 16 after tearing his right hamstring attempting to beat out a sacrifice bunt in Colorado, was transferred to the 60-day DL.

That move makes Javier ineligible for the remainder of the regular season, although he would be eligible for any playoff duties.

The Giants filled in the blanks by activating outfielder Hill -- who had missed 61 games with a fractured left wrist -- and recalling Mueller from Triple-A Phoenix for the third time this season. Mueller, who should be an improvement over struggling Kim Batiste (.200), was batting .302 for the Firebirds with four homers and 36 RBIs.

While the Giants extended their losing streak to six games, there was somber injury news to digest. Dunston, who sustained a concussion and fractures to his left eye orbit and left cheekbone during a ninth- inning collision Sunday night with Houston shortstop Ricky Gutierrez, will undergo reconstructive surgery Friday morning at Stanford Hospital to repair the bone damage in the eye area. There is some question whether he'll return this season.

"I saw Shawon -- he looked like Sonny Liston after Muhammad Ali beat him up. His eye was swollen shut," manager Dusty Baker said of Dunston, who remained at Houston's Methodist Hospital Sunday night and flew back to the Bay Area yesterday afternoon. He arrived at Candlestick Park at 2 p.m., where he was met by his wife, Tracie.

An examination yesterday evening by Dr. Joann Stenger of Stanford Hospital led to the decision to schedule surgery for Dunston, one of the Giants' mainstays this season who was hitting .300 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 82 games. Stenger will perform the surgery and make a post-operative evaluation of Dunston's status.

"Shawon's one of the guys everyone looks up to, likes and respects," Baker said. "Certainly it's a big blow."

The same can be said for the loss of Williams, whose damaged right shoulder is so sore he cannot throw or hold a bat comfortably. A second MRI and examination by Dr. Warren King Sunday night revealed a severely bruised rotator cuff and possible cartilage damage. Williams, who injured himself trying to break up a double play in Colorado July 16, was hitting .302 with 22 home runs and 85 RBIs in 105 games. He's eligible for reinstatement Aug. 19.

Could he be lost for the season? Baker said that depends on whether the prescribed rest and treatment is effective enough for Williams to avoid surgery. Williams received a cortisone injection last night to relieve pain and swelling.

Although team trainer Mark Letendre said Williams had experienced some improvement the last few days, Williams -- who sat out Friday in Houston because of the flu and was scratched late from the lineup Saturday -- said the pain increased noticeably Sunday afternoon after the Giants' 7-6 loss to the Astros.

"It was worse (Sunday) night than it had been at any time," said Williams, who conceded he might not return this season.

Said Baker, who's erring on the side of caution, "We need him around the next few years, at least the next couple of years to play third base. It'd be easier to find a first baseman than to find a quality third baseman."

Now that's a frightening thought. After seeing Williams wince and grit his teeth manning first base 12 of his last 15 games, the concern now is keeping one of the game's best infielders from permanently injuring himself.

"Right now, we're trying to win every game we can win," Baker said. "That's how we're trying to look at it. I have to remind myself that I you've got to manage, no matter where you are, manage every game.